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How to recycle your tires in Ontario

I'm a collection site

eTracks enrolled collection sites can search our database of local haulers and arrange for the removal of their used tires - at no cost.

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I need to drop off tires

Members of the public can use our database to find a local tire collection site and drop-off their used tires - at no cost.

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Je suis un site de collection

Les sites de collecte inscrits à eTracks peuvent effectuer des recherches dans notre base de données de transporteurs locaux et organiser le retrait de leurs pneus usagés - sans frais.

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Je dois déposer des pneus

Utilisez notre base de données pour localiser un site de collecte de pneus inscrit à eTracks et éliminer vos pneus usagés - sans frais.

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What we offer

A Proven Track Record

We consistently meet the compliance requirements of our customers, to ensure 85% (or more) of the weight of the tires they sell each year are recycled into a new and useful product. We also developed a credit system to collaborate with other PRO's to ensure these markers are met.

Clarity and Trust

Clear, transparent communication means our customers know where they stand in their overall performance and what to expect from us; we've got you covered.

Security Tested Data

The Sustainable Recovery Platform (eSRP) manages the entire transaction cycle from collection, to hauling, processing and end market use. It's user friendly, auditable and scaleable across the supply chain. To ensure the system is optimized and that data are protected, we regularly and rigorously test for security, performance and regulatory alignment.

We Understand Compliance

Our track record and commitment to achieving resource recovery targets for producers is our sole priority. It's also the result of innovation as a PRO, decades of in-house experience and a collaborative, nimble approach to managing change in the marketplace and regulatory framework.

A ‘No Surprises’ Approach to Fees

Through careful assessment of current systems, we work with producers and service providers to create a fair and cost-efficient supply chain. This approach allows us to maintain price stability for our customers, while paying highly competitive rates for the services we need.

Dedicated Support

We provide a dedicated Stakeholder Relations team to assist producers and service providers with any questions, or needs they may have; five days a week.

The Greater Good

We don't just consider tires, we consider all material classes under IPR when we develop our systems and processes. This means working with stakeholders in a variety of material classes and regions to identify shared challenges and better solutions that support a more sustainable future for all.

Work with us

Recyling and re-purposing tires in Ontario

Tires were the first of five main material classes to be moved from a Stewardship model, to the Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) model under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRCEA). Under the Act, Tire Regulation 225/18 made producers responsible for ensuring that 85% of the weight of the tires sold into market are collected, recycled and made into new products at the end of their initial life-cycle.

Under the preceding Stewardship model , obligated companies were required to pay stewardship fees to a government-mandated entity called Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS), and OTS was accountable for tire recovery.

The main differences between stewardship and IPR are:

Under IPR, tire producers are now responsible for recycling and recovery based on what they sell into the market. If they fail to meet the compliance requirements outlined in the RRCEA, they face significant fines.
Under IPR, Ontario moved to a competitive market model, from a government/consumer funded stewardship model. Service providers and PRO’s now compete for business from producers and from each other.

To date, producers working with eTracks have been 100% compliant with their tire recycling obligations under the RRCEA.

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Providing reliable PRO services since 2019

As a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), we facilitate the success of Ontario’s circular economy by supporting, in part, three principles: reduction of waste, circulation of products and materials for recycling and re-purposing, and contributing to the regeneration of nature.

Adopting best practices and learning from past lessons are invaluable to our continued success in shaping a greener economy. Our commitment to responsible, reliable and fair practices means we consistently deliver world class service to world class brands.

Managing a complex supply chain requires making sense of the information through an intelligent data management system. eTracks uses the Sustainable Recovery Platform (eSRP) to manage transactions across mobile and desktop applications. eSRP captures the flow of tires from the point of collection, to transport, storage, processing, and end-market use; all through one system. Our switch to eSRP has increased our efficiency through automation, and significantly reduced manual and paper transactions. This supports our goal of maintaining price stability for our customers and offering competitive rates for our service providers, while contributing to a green economy.

Learn more about eSRP

News and Events

May 13, 2022

CATRA releases its 2021 Annual Report

Steve Meldrum, the Canadian Association of Tire Recycling Agencies (CATRA) Chair and CEO of eTracks, introduced the Association’s 2021 Annual Report by speaking to how he has embraced his new role with CATRA and sees ongoing potential in the organization. The report goes on to show how members, collectively and individually, continue to be global leaders in the tire recycling industry. They do this through robust data collection and analysis, and expanding scrap tire diversion opportunities through innovation, technology, stakeholder outreach and collaborations. 2022 is already revealing that it will be another year of achievements in Canada’s tire recycling industry. For its part, CATRA will pursue opportunities that ensure that knowledge is shared, and efficiencies and other benefits are delivered to members. Ultimately, this enhances each member’s ability to deliver on environmental and economic responsibilities for their respective governments. View the 2021 Annual Report Learn more about CATRA

May 04, 2022

Bridgestone Partners with LanzaTech to Pursue End-of-Life Tire Recycling Technologies

Bridgestone Americas, an eTracks customer and global leader in tires and sustainable mobility solutions, announced an exclusive partnership with Carbon Capture and Transformation (CCT) company, LanzaTech NZ, Inc. (LanzaTech) to address end-of-life tire waste. The two companies will co-develop the first dedicated end-of-life tire recycling process leveraging LanzaTech’s proprietary CCT technology, creating a pathway toward tire material circularity and the decarbonization of new tire production. According to the Tire Industry Project operating under the umbrella of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), more than one billion tires globally reach the end of their useful service life each year. Bridgestone and LanzaTech will work to address this issue by converting end-of-life tires into new materials, including exploring processes to create sustainable synthetic rubber that does not rely on petrochemicals. Learn more about Bridgestone’s initiative

April 26, 2022

Request for Proposal: Sourcing End-of-Life Tire Recycling Services

eTracks Tire Management Systems will be issuing a Request for Proposal (“RFP”) related to the recycling of end-of-life tires to qualified, north American service providers. The RFP supports eTracks as a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) under Ontario’s Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (“RRCEA”) and the Tires Regulation (Reg 225/18). The RFP covers a four-year period beginning in 2023. The RFP will be available on May 16, 2022 and will contain: RFP process and timelines (eg. bidder question submittals, bidder meeting, deadlines, submittal process) Service Provider (bidder) requirements Supporting documents (regulations, form of contract, pricing templates) Scope of services to be provided (receipt of tires, or pre-processed materials, “processing” of scrap tires, reporting requirements to eTracks, etc.) Details of acceptable recycling methods (eg. crumbing with end-market proof, retreading, reuse, tire derived aggregate, rubber modified asphalt, blasting mats, etc.) Proof of end markets requirements (i.e. validation requirements for actual use of tire derived material) Resource recovery and commitment expectations (ratio of: received eligible material to approved end use) eTracks service level requirements Sustainable Recovery Platform (eSRP) technology expectations Evaluation criteria and weighting. Please email [email protected] before noon ET, May 16th, 2022, to request a bid package, or to make further inquiries before the June 27th proposal deadline. The deadline for submitting a response to the RFP is 2 p.m. ET, June 27, 2022. We look forward to inquiries from all qualified service providers!

January 12, 2022

eTracks Launches the Sustainable Recovery Platform (eSRP) January 2022

eTracks Tire Management Systems launched its Sustainable Recovery Platform (eSRP) to over 6,500 Ontario tire collection sites, 100 service providers and over 50 producers. As a not-for-profit organization, eTracks provides Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) services to the Ontario tire manufacturing industry by managing their end-of-life tire recycling obligations under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRCEA). eSRP’s development was spurred by the need for better data and insights into where, how and what becomes of recyclable materials put into market, and how much of that material is made into new products. eSRP will help to improve the way Producers and PROs are able to manage recyclable materials and regulatory compliance; and drive a more sustainable, circular economy. Read more about this in the Press Release

July 18, 2021

Steve Meldrum, CEO, talks about EPR and IPR in 2021, Read More…

During the global pandemic, there was a brief reprieve for the environment as a result of reduced economic activity during 2020, which highlighted just how much of an impact our collective actions can have on the planet. But during a summer of record temperatures across Canada and the United States, and with atmospheric CO2 emissions at their highest recorded level, it is clear that industries need to work together to reduce our carbon footprint. One way to do this is by increasing efforts to develop a more circular economy. Read more: Recycling Product News article

July 06, 2021

eTracks Implements New Hauler Contracting Model

Throughout July 2021, Evolve Recycling Inc transitioned out of the hauling management business. Evolve will continue to operate its “Trillium” hauling business, and has partnered with eTracks to manage the delivery of used tires by other haulers to their facilities in Brantford and Moose Creek going forward. Our goal throughout this process was to ensure the uninterrupted flow of tires and payments to haulers. Haulers who had contracts or agreements to haul tires for Evolve were provided with a new contract from eTracks. A joint letter from Evolve Recycling and eTracks was also provided by email on July 9, 2021 to all Evolve haulers. eTracks held 4 webinars for the hauling community on May 19, May 26, June 2 and June 9 outlining this transition and the contents of the new contracts. We were pleased to note that more than 30 haulers attended these webinars. Haulers can access a copy of the webinar at: eTracks looks forward to expanding the use of direct-to-hauler contracting with its service providers in the coming months. A few of the key benefits to direct-to-hauler contracting include: Direct payment from eTracks to haulers (faster payment) Very competitive rates! Greater efficiency for all businesses involved Improved management (regulatory and commercial needs) of the Individual Producer Responsibility model for end-of-life (EOL) tires. If you’re a hauler and you’re interested in learning more about becoming a direct hauler with eTracks, please contact us at [email protected] to learn more.

April 08, 2021

eTracks Recognizes Service Provider Excellence in Tire Recycling

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – eTracks Tire Management Systems Recognizes Service Provider Excellence in Tire Recycling Toronto, ON. – eTracks Tire Management Systems successfully navigated a year unlike any other in 2020. In spite of a sluggish economy, including dramatic changes to how we all live, work and commute; eTracks customers continued to receive unwavering compliance services. To commemorate this milestone, eTracks announced several Awards of Excellence in appreciation of our suppliers’ invaluable help in navigating a challenging year and still managing to exceed 2019 tire collection by 13,000 tonnes. “eTracks relies on the outstanding services of tire haulers and processors to ensure that end-of-life tires are collected in a timely and efficient manner and in alignment with the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act; their work helps divert tires from our landfills so they can be made into new products,” said Steve Meldrum, CEO of eTracks Tire Management Systems. Multiple criteria were evaluated to determine the top service providers for 2020, such as professionalism, ease of doing business, willingness to adapt to Regulatory changes, transparency in business operations, and a commitment to service delivery excellence. Service providers are the foundation of tire recovery and recycling in Ontario, and we sincerely thank all our enrolled haulers and processors for coming through to make 2020 a successful year in spite of global challenges. Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020 Awards of Excellence! Award of Excellence, Processor of the Year: Ideal Rubber Industries Corporation Award of Excellence, Hauler of the Year: CRM Hauling Award of Excellence, Hauling – Northern Ontario: William Day Construction Ltd. Award of Excellence, Hauling – Central Ontario: Emterra Tire Recycling Ltd. Award of Excellence, Hauling – South Eastern Ontario: Trillium Tire Award of Excellence, Hauling – South Western Ontario: All Ontario Recycling About eTracks Tire Management Systems – eTracks is a not-for-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in Ontario, working on behalf of major tire producers, automakers and tire distributors in the province. The company provides fulfillment services for its clients, in compliance with the current tire regulation and works with a vast network of end-of-life tire collectors, haulers and processors to ensure the responsible recycling of end-of-life in support of a more circular economy. Media Inquiries: Melissa Carlaw, Communications and Marketing Lead, [email protected]

March 08, 2021

eTracks in the News – Recycling Product News Article

A 2020 survey conducted by eTracks Tire Management Systems — a company that works on behalf of tire producers to meet their regulatory obligations of recycling tires — is looking to dispel the myths and misinformation about the tire recycling industry, and with good cause: the survey revealed that only one third (37 percent) of Ontarians know that, in Ontario, tires are recycled. Nearly half (49 percent) of Ontarians do not know whether they’re recycled or thrown into landfills, and 14 percent of residents – a whopping 1.5 million adults in Ontario – do not believe tires are recycled at all. In reality, tire manufacturers and automakers are responsible for recycling every tire they sell in Ontario, yet only 32 percent know this is the case. “Regardless of some of these knowledge gaps and myths, it’s encouraging to know Ontarians want to help the environment,” said Steve Meldrum, CEO of eTracks Tire Management Systems. “And while the survey shows that knowledge of the tire recycling industry is mixed, there’s an opportunity to use these results as a tool to change perceptions and help eliminate misinformation.” In order to fund the jobs and services in the tire recycling industry, a small fee of approximately $4 per tire is added to the consumer’s cost when purchasing new car tires. This is generally broken out as a separate fee, but can be included in the price of the new tire. However, more than half of Ontarians (55 percent) do not know there’s a fee. Only one in four of Ontario residents are aware of the fee and its purpose, while another 20 percent know of the fee but do not know what it is for. When asked to choose between a variety of options as reasons for the fee, nearly half (46 percent) said they believe it is a government tax, and 14 percent presume the funds are collected to pay for landfill fees. Regardless, the majority of residents (78 percent) say they’re happy to pay a small fee when purchasing tires if it helps the environment. “When a recycling fee is made completely transparent with the purchase of new tires, it is a great opportunity for people to see where their money is going and learn how it’s being used to benefit the environment,” says Meldrum. “Understanding what the fee funds, and what products are created as a result, can help lead to better decisions that help to support the industry and combat climate change.” Once tires are recycled, they can be made into a variety of different products for both commercial and consumer use. Although 63 percent know that there are many products made from the scrap rubber collected from tires, their knowledge is mixed when asked what those products could be. While a majority (70 percent) know that scrap tires can be used to make playgrounds and sports fields, fewer are aware that they can also be used for construction materials, athletic mats, asphalt and livestock mats. Only 18 percent know that garden mulch can be made from scrap tires. Although a majority of respondents (83 percent) agree that recycling old tires into new products helps to combat climate change, and 69 percent believe products made from recycled tires are of high quality, only 28 percent agreed that they have intentionally purchased a product made from recycled tires – a missed opportunity for Ontarians. “More people could help combat climate change if they purchased recycled tire products after recognizing the high standards for recycling and knew more about the kind of products produced using recycled tires,” adds Meldrum.

January 01, 2021

2020 Annual Report

Between the COVID-19 pandemic that ground the world to a halt, and the resulting slow-down of tires purchased in a sluggish economy, 2020 was a year unlike any other in recent memory. The pandemic had a large-scale impact on all of us, with unprecedented disruptions in how we live, work, commute, and operate as businesses. It was the first time many of us moved out of the office and into our homes for months at a time. eTracks staff worked quickly to adapt operations, and with many online communication modalities already in place, our team was able to mobilize the transition from office-to-home quickly and efficiently. Most importantly, these measures allowed us to protect our staff while ensuring our customers continued to receive unwavering compliance service. Learn more, read the 2020 Annual Report

November 11, 2020

eTracks in the evening news

eTracks CEO, Steve Meldrum was interviewed on CP24 to discuss the implementation of new tire recycling regulations in Ontario and eTracks’ role as a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).

September 07, 2020

New survey aims to dispel myths and misinformation about Ontario’s tire recycling program

Results show most Ontarians agree purchasing recycled products helps combat climate change: eTracks Oakville, ON – September 9, 2020 – A recently released survey conducted by eTracks Tire Management Systems — a company that works on behalf of tire producers to meet their regulatory obligations of recycling tires — is looking to dispel the myths and misinformation about the tire recycling industry, and with good cause: the survey revealed that only one third (37 per cent) of Ontarians know that, in Ontario, tires are recycled. Nearly half (49 per cent) of Ontarians do not know whether they’re recycled or thrown into landfills, and a surprising 14 per cent of residents – a whopping 1.5 million adults in Ontario – do not believe tires are recycled at all. In reality, tire manufacturers and automakers are responsible for recycling every tire they sell in Ontario, yet only 32 per cent know this is the case. The good news is 81 per cent agree that purchasing recycled products helps to combat climate change. “Regardless of some of these knowledge gaps and myths, it’s encouraging to know Ontarians want to help the environment,” said Steve Meldrum, CEO of eTracks Tire Management Systems. “And while the survey shows that knowledge of the tire recycling industry is mixed, there’s an opportunity to use these results as a tool to change perceptions and help eliminate misinformation.” Most Ontarians unaware of tire recycling fees In order to fund the jobs and services in the tire recycling industry, a small fee of approximately $4 per tire is added to the consumer’s cost when purchasing new car tires. This is generally broken out as a separate fee, but can be included in the price of the new tire. However, more than half of Ontarians (55 per cent) do not know there’s a fee. Only one in four (25 per cent) of Ontario residents are aware of the fee and its purpose, while another 20 per cent know of the fee but do not know what it is for. When asked to choose between a variety of options as reasons for the fee, nearly half (46 per cent) said they believe it is a government tax, and 14 per cent presume the funds are collected to pay for landfill fees. Regardless, the majority of residents (78 per cent) say they’re happy to pay a small fee when purchasing tires if it helps the environment. “When a recycling fee is made completely transparent with the purchase of new tires, it is a great opportunity for people to see where their money is going and learn how it’s being used to benefit the environment,” says Meldrum. “Understanding what the fee funds, and what products are created as a result, can help lead to better decisions that help to support the industry and combat climate change.” Knowledge of recycled products is mixed Once tires are recycled, they can be made into a variety of different products for both commercial and consumer use. Although sixty-three per cent know that there are many products made from the scrap rubber collected from tires, their knowledge is mixed when asked what those products could be. While a majority (70 per cent) know that scrap tires can be used to make playgrounds and sports fields, fewer are aware that they can also be used for construction materials, athletic mats, asphalt and livestock mats. Surprisingly, only 18 per cent know that garden mulch can be made from scrap tires. Although a majority of respondents (83 per cent) agree that recycling old tires into new products helps to combat climate change, and 69 per cent believe products made from recycled tires are of high quality, only 28 per cent agreed that they have intentionally purchased a product made from recycled tires – a missed opportunity for Ontarians. “More people could help combat climate change if they purchased recycled tire products after recognizing the high standards for recycling and knew more about the kind of products produced using recycled tires.” adds Meldrum. About the survey These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between July 31 and Aug 4, 2020, on behalf of eTracks Tire Management System. For this survey, a sample of 1,000 Ontarians aged 18+ was interviewed online. Quotas and weighting were employed to ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the Ontario population according to census parameters. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ± 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Ontarians aged 18+ been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error. About eTracks Incorporated by the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC), eTracks Tire Management Systems is the largest Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in Ontario, working with tire Processors and Haulers on behalf of North America’s largest tire suppliers. eTracks helps Producers responsibly manage and dispose of ELTs (End of Life Tires) in Ontario as required by the Ontario Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRCEA). For more information, or to find out where to dispose of your ELTs, visit etracks.ca. For further information or to arrange interviews: Elizabeth Glassen BlueSky Communications Inc. 647.309.0141 | [email protected]

March 05, 2020

eTracks helps Algoma Steel safely remove 850 tonnes of end-of-life tires for recycling

The project is currently underway and is expected to complete in June 2020 Sault Ste Marie, ON, March 2, 2020 – eTracks Tire Management Systems, a not-for-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) has partnered with Algoma Steel to remove and recycle 850 tonnes of end-of-life tires in an effort to promote a more circular economy. Established to help the tire industry meet new recovery and recycling regulations that rolled out in Ontario last year, eTracks is managing and partly funding this project which began in September 2019 at this Canadian steel producer’s facility in Sault Ste. Marie. The organization is collaborating with local haulers from across Northern Ontario to remove decades-old tires and bring them to recycling facilities capable of handling the intake. “eTracks remains committed to building an ethical, cutting-edge and sustainable tire management system in Ontario. Even though this is beyond our usual scope, we recognized Algoma’s desire to have their legacy tires removed and recycled in an environmentally-friendly way and have partnered with local haulers to make it happen,” said Steve Meldrum, CEO of eTracks Tire Management Systems. “Some of the tires at the site range from three to twelve feet in diameter, so it wasn’t just the quantity but also the size of the tires that proved to be a challenge while facilitating their removal.” The vast majority of these tires – with a combined weight equivalent of seven adult blue whales – will be recycled into new products and will be used in a variety of ways, such as turf for synthetic grass on sports fields, playground safety pads, sports arena mats, comfort flooring for livestock, rubberized asphalt and padding in safety helmets. In the early 1990s, Algoma Steel implemented a “one-in, one-out” policy to ensure all tires were recycled on a go forward basis. While there had been several previous attempts to remove the older tires, their size and quantity posed logistical and recycling challenges, such as the distance to recycling facilities capable of handling such large tires, until now. “It is important for us to deal with our legacy tires in an environmentally responsible manner,” said Fred Post, Algoma Steel Environment Control Manager “eTracks has made that possible, ensuring that our tires get recycled safely and responsibly.” eTracks has also cleaned up tires from a variety of other sites across Northern Ontario, with an additional weight of 318 tonnes. Currently, over half of the tires at Algoma Steel have been removed with the balance slated for removal by June 2020.

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Blog

May 25, 2022

2021 Service Award Winners

April 18, 2022

Welcome to the eTracks Blog

We’ll be sharing end-of-life tire and recycling industry insights and what we’ve learned since 2019 as one of the largest tire PRO’s in Ontario. Some of the themes we’ll be talking about in the coming months include: 1. What Happens to Used Tires? According to a 2020 survey conducted on behalf of eTracks, only 37% of Ontario consumers are aware that their used tires are recycled into new products. 2. Change is Constant Change continues to be par for the course as Ontario adapts to the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRCEA) and Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR). What innovations might shape the next few years? 3. Data is King A key driver of our success as a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) is accurate data; as the saying goes, data is king. Technology is allowing the recycling industry an opportunity to improve data collection methods, providing more accurate reporting options and allowing industry leaders to make informed choices. 4. Start-ups and Best Practices Before IPR, everyone played on one field called the Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS); as a government funded organization, OTS paid for the collection, hauling and processing of Ontario’s used tires. With the implementation of the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRCEA), Ontario ushered in the Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) model, introducing a free and competitive market where service providers became competitors, and producers were now responsible for collecting and repurposing 85% of the tires they sold into market. 5. Economics & Supply Chain As the largest tire PRO, being able to move away from the old Stewardship model to the new competitive model creates unique challenges. What does it mean when some of your contracted service providers are also your competitors? How have we managed a complex supply chain and achieved compliant networks? What are the economics of recovery and the value of accurate transactional data? More to come…

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30 Jun

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20 Jun

The final countdown to banning some single-use plastics in Canada begins today | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/plastics-ban-countdown-1.6494379?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

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